It has generally been known for some time that maverick journalist Craig Westcott (no relation) vehemently dislikes Premier Danny Williams.
Over the past few years in his commentaries on CBC Radio and in interviews with NTV and with this paper, the Business Post editor has exuded vengefully his views about the premier and his supporters.
After his unsuccessful bid to represent the federal Conservatives in St. John’s East during the last federal election, Westcott revved-up his what now appears to be hatred towards Williams. Latest case in point: on Aug. 18, Westcott used his own editorial page in the Business Post to sound off.
I was astounded and insulted by the claims Westcott made in his acrid editorial, headlined “After so many lessons we’re still too green to burn.”
Westcott’s view is that 80 per cent of Newfoundlanders, voters like you and me who support and admire Danny Williams, are not only stunned but ignorant, naive and complacent. He suggests the Williams government deserves an F for mismanaging our finances and overall economy. He calls the premier’s cabinet a posse of spendthrifts.
I defend to my death anyone’s right to express his or her opinion through whatever medium he or she chooses. In the same vein, I also defend my right to express my disdain for a viewpoint that by every stretch of the imagination
is downright insulting to 80 per cent
of my fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and to our premier and his government.
To insinuate we are all stunned, ignorant, naive and complacent for standing up for something we believe in is not only crass, but sinful and in poor taste.
It is generally agreed that Williams is “the most popular premier in Canada.” I ask Westcott — are these opinions that of a bunch of half-baked politicians across the country? Of course not. These are highly educated politicians and businessmen who see the passion and the vision the premier has for our province, and how he stands up for Newfoundland and Labrador — at times to his own detriment.
I have to wonder if the lack of provincial government advertising in his Business Post paper ignited his latest tirade? I also have to wonder how 80 per cent of our provincial business leaders who read his paper view the label accorded them by Westcott — stunned, ignorant, naive and complacent. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when an advertising sales rep from Westcott’s Business Post comes knocking on their boardroom doors.
I think Craig Westcott owes voters and non-voters across the province an apology for stooping to a new journalistic low — one that hit far below the belt.
Bill Westcott
Clarke’s Beach
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
